Railroad track skeletonizing machine



9 5 I Q H. cfJoNEs RAILROAD TRACK SKELETONIZING MACHINE Filed. Aug. 9, 1946 4 Sheets Sheet 11' ll/II.

- m'w c. dam- 1 T Sept. 9, 1952 H. c. J ONES I f RAILROAD'TRACKSKELETONIZING'MACHINE' Filed Aug. 9, 1946 4 Sheeis-Sh'eet' Hmn f h A ...m. GE

9,1952 'H. c.- JONES I RAILROAD TRACK- SKELETONIZING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1946. v '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG; 11.

' Hannv C James,

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 OFFICE v RAILROAD TRACK SKELETONIZING MACHINE f Harry 0. Jones, Magnolia, Ark.

Application August 9, 19%, Serial'No. 689,416

3 Claims.

My'invention relates to railroad track work and more particularly to a machine for skeletonizing railroad tracks.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine adapted to remove the old ballast from a railroadtrack bed, when it is desired to put new ballast on said track bed. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine adapted to lift and support a railroad track, that means the rails together with the ties, to which said rails are fastened, while the machine removes the old ballast from the road bed.

Other objects of my invention may appear in the following specification describing my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings' illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof. It is, however, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited and restricted to the exact construction and combination described in the specification and shown in the drawings, but that such changes and modifications can be made which fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine according to my invention in working position over a railroad track, some parts being shown as broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, parts of the wheels being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 in Fig. 3, shown in a bigger scale.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view in a larger scale showing the construction of the front wheels, the front axle and a part of the steering mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a sectional detail view taken diametrically through the rear axle and showing the construction of the brake mechanism. Fig. 8 is a front view of Fig. '7. h

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a detail view showing a part of the gear shifting mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of the rail supporting mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line |2-l2 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line l3-l3 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is a detail view, partly shown in section,

of the latch mechanism for the rollerarms used in connection with my invention.

Referring now in detail tothe drawings, the

railroad track skeletonizing machine according to my invention has a platform l5; On the rear portion of the platform there is a motor, not shown, which is covered by a'motor'hood H. The platform I5 is supported by four wheels, two-rear wheels 18 and two front wheels 19.

A rear axle 20 extends transversely underneath the rear portion of the platform [5 and is rotatably fastened thereto. Thi'sirear axle extends far enough beyond'both longitudinal edges of the platform to reach over the rails. of a railroad track. I 1

The front and rear wheels are constructed substantially similar to each other;' a 7 Each wheel consists of a central wheel 2 I constructed to travel on a rail 22 and equipped'with a circular flange 23 like a conventional railroad wheel, and an outer wheel 24. The outer wheel has a hub 25, from which a plurality of spokes 26 extend radially and outwardly. The rim of the outer Wheel is either formed integrally with the hub and the spokes or'securely'fastened onto the latter. The bore in the hub 25 of the outer wheel is shaped so that it fits snugly'onto the rim of the center wheel 20 as shown in'Fig. 5. Y This rim and the hub 25 are securely held together by means of a plurality of bolts 21. The rear wheels l8 are secured to the rear axle 20 "so that they rotate with the axle. The axle 2!], however, is provided with. a flattened surface 28 adjacent each of its ends and a plurality of holes 29. When the machine is in use the outer wheels 24 are attached tothe center wheels 2| and the assembled wheels l8--are fastened on the outer ends of the rear axle 20 as shown in Fig. 2' so that the wheels are located outside of the ends of the ties 3.0 of the track. .When the machine is out of use and is to be transported to anew working place the outer wheels 24 are removed from the center wheels 2| and the latter are moved inwardly on the rear axle 20 and fastened again thereon so that the center wheels will travel on therails 22. 4

The front wheels I9 are, as stated above, constructed like the rear wheels l8; they are, however, rotatably mounted on the front axle 3| and are'held in adjusted position by'rings 32 fastened onto the front axles by means of bolts 33. The front axles 3| are provided with tapped holes '34 so that the front wheels [9 can be positioned on these axles to correspond with the rear wheels.

Adjacent each longitudinal edge of the plat form l5 a sprocket gear 35 is rigidly mounted on the rear axle 28.

On the motor shaft 36 a bevel gear 31 is rigidly mounted forming the driving gear for the entire mechanism.

For driving the machine forward at three different speeds or in reverse a gear shift mechanism is arranged. The shift gears are located inside the motor hood-and are shown best in Fig. 9. r

The bevel gear 3'! on motor shaft 36 meshes with two other bevel gears 38 and 39 respectively. The bevel gear 38 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 40 rotatably mounted in a bearing 4| and a triple bearing 42. On the outer end of shaft 48 a gear 43 is rigidly mounted and meshes with two other gears 44 and 45 respectively. Each of these two gears is mounted on a clutch shaft 45 and 4! respectively, rotatably supported by the triple bearing 42 and a second triple bearing 48. On the clutch shaft 46 a clutch 49 and a gear 58 is mounted and on the clutch shaft 41'. agear 5|- and a clutch 52 is arranged; .Thetwo gears 58 and 5| mesh withagear 53 arranged between themfand rigidly mounted on a shaft 54flrotatably supported by the triple bearing. and; a bearing 55. The shaft 54 extendsoutwardly ofthemotor hood i1 and on. its outer end a' sprocket ge'arTSB is rigidly mounted andarranged in alignment with the correspondingsprocket gear 35 on the rear axle 28. A sprocket chain 5! is trained'over thesetwo sprocket-gears. A shift lever 58 connects the two shiftfclutches 89 and 52and is pivotally supported between them as shown at 59. This shift lever 58 is connected to a shifting rod 68-by means of alink lever 8|.

The second bevel gear ssme'shing with the main driving beve'll gear 3'! is rigidly mounted on a clutch shaft 62 supported in two double bearings 53 and 64 and a triple bearing. 65. A gear 56 .isrigidly. mounted on the clutch'shaft '52 between the bevel gear 39 andthe do'uble bearing E3-and meshes with a second gear 8! rigidly mounted on a second clutch shaft 68 rotatably supported in the two double bearings 63 and, and the triple bearing 65.- Two clutch members and '18- are slidably but not rotatably mounted on the clutch shafts B2 and 58 respectively and corresponding clutch members I! and I2, rigidly connected with gears 73 and 14 respectively, are rotatably; but not slidably mounted on the clutch shafts 62 and 68 respectively. A gear arranged between and meshing-with the gears Band 14 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 18 which'isrotatably supported by the triple bearing 65 and a bearing TI.- This shaft 16 extends outside of the motor hood I! and on its outer end a sprocket gear I8 is rigidly mounted and arranged in alignment with the corresponding sprocket gear 35 on the rear axle 28. A sprocket chain I9 is trained over the sprocket-gears l8 and 35. A shifting lever 88 connects the clutch members 69'and l8 and is pivotally supported between the two members aSindicatedatBl. Ii I,

A link lever 82 connects the'shift lever 88 with a shift rod 83. I

Forwardly of the motor hood I! a combined seat and tool box 84 is arranged on top of the platform l5 and extends transversely thereof.

A gear shift lever 85 is arranged in front of the drivers seat 84 in easy reach of the driver and is movable in a guide frame 88 having an H-shaped= guide way 81 therein. The forward ends of. the shifting rods 68 and 83 pass through the guide frame-88.- Each of the shifting rods 88 and 83 has a square notch 88 and 89 respectively in its inner surface adjacent its forward end.

When the gear shift lever 85 is set in the cross passage of the H-shaped guide way 81 the notches 88 and 89 are located coinciding with this cross passage. The shift clutches are arranged as shown in Fig. 9, that means they are in neutral or non-driving position. When the gear shift lever 85 is moved to the right-in Fig. 10 it engages the notch 89 in the shifting rod 83. If the lever 85 is then pulled backward the rod 83 will also be moved toward the rear and will engage the shift clutch 18-72 so that the sprocket gear 18 will be driven by the gears 81, 14 and (5 driving the machine in reverse direction. By moving lever 85 to the right and forward, clutch 89--|| will be engaged and the sprocket gear 18 will be driven by the gears 86, 13 and 75 so that the machine will be driven forwardly at 1 speed. When the gear shift lever is moved to the cross passage and then to the left, it will engage the notch 88 in theshifting rod 88. .By moving the lever 85 backward the clutch-members 52 will be engaged with each other so that the machine will be driven forwardly at 2 speedby the gears 83, 45, 5|, 53, and the sprocket gear 78. If the gear shift lever 85 is then moved all theyvay forward clutch-members 52 will be disconnected and clutch-members 49 will be engaged With' each other, so that the machine is driven at 3 speed forward by the gears 43, 44, 58, 53 and sprocket 56.

A brake pedal 98 is arranged also infrontof the drivers seat and in easy reach of the driver. A brake rod 98 is linked with this pedal and 'extends rearwardly therefrom. Intermediate. the ends of the rear axle 28 two substantially semicircular brake members 9| are arranged. They surround the rear axle and are hingediy connected with each at their bottom edges asshown at 92' in Figs. 7 and 8. Each brake member has on its, upper edge at. its longitudinal center apair of lugs 93 with concentrical holes'therein. There is a longitudinal cut out 94 provided in the platform l5 and a bracket 95 is fastened therein serving as a guide for the brake rod 90. Two lever arms 98 and 91 respectively are pivotallyfastened inter-mediate their ends onto the platform I5 as shown at 98 in Fig. 8 so that they cross each other. The lever arm 95 has a slot in its upper portion and a pin 99 on the end of the brake rod 98 extends through this slot. The lower end of the cross lever arm 95 is locatedbetween the lugs 93 on the forward brake member 8| and is pivotally connected with them. The lower end of the cross lever arm 9'! is arranged between the lugs 93 on the rear brake member 9| and is pivotally connected with them. On its upper end this-lever arm 91 has guide ring |88 with a slot |8| therein. The brake rod 98 extends through this slot and the ring abuts the bracket 95. When .the brake pedal 88 is actuated the brake lever 98 is moved forwardly acting on the two cross lever arms 96 and 97 to force the brake members against the rear axle 28 and toexert a brake pressure thereon.

A steering column I82 extends upwardly from a gear box I83 fastened on top of the platform l5 in front of the drivers seat 84. A steering shaft. |8 i extends through the steering column |82 and is rotatably supported therein. It extends beyond the top of the steering column and a steering wheel I85 is fastened on the top end of the steering shaft I84. On the lower end of said steering shaft 2. gear I88 is rigidly mounted inside the gear box |83. Another gear I81 meshes with the gear H15 and is rigidly mounted on a stub shaft I08 extending through and rotatably supported in the platform t5. On the lower end of the stub shaft W8 another gear H39 is ri'gidly mounted.

On the inside end of the front axleS-I a horizontally arranged hub H is formedirom which two spokes III extend radially and inwardly.

These spokes carry on their 'outer'ends-toothed arc-uate rims II2 each of which forms approximately one sixth of a gear meshingwith the last named gear I69. From each horizontal hub I-Hl a pivot shaft H3 extends upwardly into theplatform where it is rotatably supported. A-rcuate support brackets I'M are located underneath the gear segments H2 and fastened to the under side of' the platform -I5. On the rim portion of the gear segments I-I-2-a plurality oi downwardly extending lugs H5 are arranged in pairs, which rotatably support rollers II6 adapted to roll on the supports, I I4 when the steering whee1 I05 is actuated and pivot the front axles 3I about the pivot shafts M3 by means of the gears I06, 'Ill'I, shaft I08, gear I09 and gear segments 'I'I'2.

When the machine .is in use to removeold ballast from a railroad bed, the machine lifts the assembled rails and ties to facilitate the Work. The rail lifting mechanism is supported by two hangers I I6 which are removably attachedto the platform I5.

Each hanger I'IE has a horizontal. base plate II'I extending longitudinally relative to theme.- chine. On each end of the. base plate I I! :an outwardly andflupwardly sloping. end arm. IlB is integrally formed with, said base. plate. In the center of the base. plate a hole is provided to permit a bolt II'9, to extend therethrough for. a purpose to be described later.

Adjacent to this hole two other arms I extend outwardly and upwardly from the base plate and unite with the adjacent arm II8. as shown atIZI inFigl.

On each side of the platform I5 a, pair of. brackets I22 is. arranged and extends at. the same. angles as the end arms. I I8 so that a hanger II6 can be placed. on and between a pair oi brackets I22. Each hanger II'B is 'securedin. position by bolts I23 extending through key holes provided in the brackets and in. the end arms for quick removal of said hangers.

On each end of the base plate II'I two roller housings I24 are formed on the under side oi said plate and extend tramsversely thereof. On the bolt H8 four levers. are. pivotally mounted. Each lever has a guard lever arm I25. and a. roller lever arm I25. The two arms of each lever are connected with each other by a. huband the stub shafts extend. through the rollers in. said housings, and said housings are shaped arcuate' about the axis of the bolt H9. Each. roller arm I23 is firmly attached to or integrally formed with the adjaoentsupport' I23. A knuckle I32 has an upwardly extend-ing sha-ft I32 which is rotatably but not slidably arranged in. the support I28. I32. is finished and a clamp roller I 33 is rotat- The inner surface of each knuckle When the machine is inuse-one set of clam-p rollers, instance the forward set, iseng-aging the. rail 22 underneath its head as indicated-in Figure 13, holding the rails'22 and ties as in lifted position. While the machine moves forwardthe forward clamp rollers roll under the rail heads lifting the track. The forward guards are positioned as shown in Figure l3 protecting the .clamp rollers. The rear guards andclamp rollers are swung outwardly as shown in- Figure 13. When the forward guard It"! comes contact with a. connecting plate 22a between two abutting rails the guard slides onto this platepivoting on its connection with the support i281 The link F35 transmits this movement to the guard lever arm I25 swinging i-t outwardly about the bolt- H5; The rear roller lever arm 5-26 on the guard lever arm is swung inwardly sothat the rear ro'll'er engages the rail. The adjacent guard is. also moved inwardly pivoting the rear guard lever arm inwardly and the forward roller-lever arm outwardly, so that now the forward clamp rollers and guards are disengagedfrom the rail and. corresponding rear clamp rollersand g-uards are engaging and supporting the rail. When these guards and rollers come incontact with a connecting plate 22 they will be disengaged from the rail pivotingthe front clamp; roller andiguard again into working position.

To prevent the above described mechanism from acting too soonand releasing the supported rail a lock mechanism is provided. v

On one roller arm I26- of the two front roller arms and of the two rear roller arms aniliwardly extending curved lock-arm I8 2 is formed adjacent the correspondingsupport $28. On topof each l'oo'k arm I 32 a pair of lugs-183 is'arranged supporting a crank lever its rotatably between them. A control bar I is .pivotally connected at one ofits ends with one armof the crank lever I84 and at the other end with the adjacent guard lever arm [25. To the other arm :of the crank lover a latch I-8 6ispivotally attached' and extends downwardly 'through a guide hole provided in the lock arm I82. The latch I86 has a neck I88 surrounded by-a spring I85) abutting the latch proper and-permitting it to slideupwardly on said neck;

'fiilatch receiving arm I 81 is formedonthe other arm of each front and rear pair of roller arms I23 and extends inwardly underneath the lock arm I82. A hole is provided in this latch receiving arm and is adapted to beengagedby the latch I86. When the guard arm is-pivoted outwardly the latch is lifted out of the latch receiving .arm, and when the guard arm is swung inwardly the latch IE6 is lowered to engage the hole inthe latch receiving arm.

' Adjacent its forward end the platformv I5 has two. laterally projecting portions I3'9'f- As best seen in Figure 2 these lateral-projections; extend beyond the ends of the ties 30. y V

A. shaft I'M) extends transversely o f, ,the platform I5 centrally of the projections I39 and is 7 rotatably supported by bearings I4I on the platform I5.

A shaft I42 is connected firmly with or formed integrally with the motor shaft 36, and is rotatably supported by a bearing I43 on the platform I5. This shaft extends forwardly into the seat 84 and a clutch member I44 is rigidly mounted on its end. Another shaft I45 is rotatably supported on the platform I by bearings I46 and is arranged coaxially with the shaft I42. On its rear end, which extends into the seat 84 the shaft I45 is equipped with a clutch member I41, which is slidably but not rotatably mounted on the shaft I 45. A clutchlever I48 located in front of the drivers seat 84 is connected by a link I49 to a ring I50 surrounding the clutch member I41 so that the latter can be slid into enga m nt wi h the clutch member I 44 to rotate the shaft I45. A bevel gear I5| on the forward end of this shaft meshes with another bevel gear I52 rigidly mounted on the transverse shaft I40.

A pair of endless diggers arranged in end to end spaced and partially overlapped relation is positioned below the platform I5 adjacent to the front end thereof and each of such diggers is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, the diggers engaging the railway ballast underneath the lifted track. each digger has a block I53 the sides whereof taper inwardly. Each end is open to receive a neck or stem of a double sprocket gear I 54. A plug I55 is adapted to close the open end and is held in position by screws I56. The outside double sprocket gears are bigger than the inner gears I51 which are arranged in the same manner as the outer and bi ger gears. The teeth of the sprocket gears extend beyond the outline of the block, so that the double sprocket chains I58 travel about the block at levels somewhat below the top and somewhat above the bottom surface thereof. The sprocket chains I58 on each block I53 carry between them an endless digger embodying a conveyor belt I59 having outwardly extending diggers I60 thereon adapted to excavate the ballast on the road bed.

Each block I53 has in its upper surface two tapped holes I6I located on the longitudinal center line of the block. A heavy metal plate I62 has four holes therein permitting bolts I63 to extend therethrough and engage the tapped holes I6I so that the diggers are arranged with their smaller forward ends extended a little beyond each other as indicated in Fig. 4. On the rear edge of the metal plate I62 three rearwardly projecting tangs I64 are arranged which have downwardly bent rear ends serving as brackets for two laterally and rearwardly extending scraper blades I65. As shown in Fig. 1 these blades are arranged also at an angle to the road bed.

Adjacent each of its outer side edges the metal plate I62 has an upwardly extending sleeve I66 provided with a thread on its outer circumference. Two corresponding sleeves I61 are arranged on the platform I5 extending downwardly therefrom. A hole extends through the platform concentrically with each sleeve I61. Two circular casings I68 are provided at both of their ends with female threads adapted to engage the threads on the sleeves I 66 and I 61 firmly but removably attaching the diggers to the machine. The double sprocket gears I54 have each a centrally located square depression I69 in their top and a shaft I10, extending through the casing I68, the two sleeves I66 and I61, and the hole in the platform above the last named sleeve, has a square offset portion IN on each of its ends. The lower of these portions engages the square depression I59 8 and the shaft rests on the top of the double sprocket gear.

A bevel gear I12 is arranged on top of each lateral projection I39 of the platform and has a square center hole therein, adapted to receive the top square portion-HI of the shaft I10 therein.

On each end of the transverse shaft I49 a bevel gear I13 is rigidly mounted and meshes with the corresponding bevel gear I12.

When the motor I6 is running and the clutch members I44 and I41 on the longitudinal shafts I42 and I45 respectively are engaged, the conveyor belts are driven to circulate in opposite directions engaging and removing the ballast under the lifted track outwardly. Since the inner ends of the two diggers overlap each other the whole area underneath the track is worked. Any stray ballast eventually missed by the diggers is removed by the scraper blades I following the diggers.

To facilitate the work of the diggers a pair of spreaders I14 is provided and securely but easily removably attached onto the lateral projections I39 of the platform I5.

Each spreader has a scraper blade I15 on a stem I16 with laterally extending lugs I11 thereon adjacent its upper end.

A recess I18 is provided in the front surface of each of the lateral projections I39 and each recess has lateral extensions I19. The upper end of the scraper stems I16 fit into the recesses I18 and the lugs I11 secure the scrapers I14 in position by engaging the recess extensions I19. On each casing I 68 and on each spreader stem I16 an eye I is provided so that the corresponding eyes are located opposite to eachother, and a double hook I8I is adapted to engage the two opposite eyes, thereby stiffening the spreader stems I16.

The above description shows clearly the construction and the method of working of the skeletonizing machine according to my invention, and it is also easily understood therefrom that all the parts connected therewith which engage, lift'and holdthe track or which are working the road bed underneath and about said track are easily and quickly detachable from said machine.

Having described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus for removing railway ballast, a wheel supported platform adapted for straddling travel over a track supported on said ballast, a pair of horizontally disposed endless diggers arranged in end to end spaced and partially overlapped relation positioned transversely of said track and below said platform adjacent the front end thereof and each mounted for rotation about a vertical axis for excavating the railway ballast adjacent thereto, a pair of upstanding spreaders arranged in spaced converging relation positioned forwardly of and spaced from said endless diggers and dependingly supported from said platform, and driving mechanism on said platform and operatively connected to each of said axes for effecting rotation of said endless diggers.

2..In an apparatus for removing railway ballast, a wheel supported platform adapted for straddling travel over a track supported on said ballast, a pair of horizontally disposed endless diggers arrangedin end to end spaced and partation about a vertical axis for excavating the railway ballast adjacent thereto, a pair of upstanding spreaders arranged in spaced converging relation positioned forwardly of and spaced from said endless diggers anddependingly supported from said platform, a pair of upstanding scraper blades arranged in converging spaced relation with respect to each other positioned rearwardly of and spaced from said endless diggers and operatively connected to the latter, and driving mechanism on said platform and operatively connected to each of said axes for effecting rotation of said endless diggers.

3. In an apparatus for removing railway ballast, a wheel supported platform adapted for straddling travel over a track supported on said ballast, a pair of horizontally disposed endless diggers arranged in end to end spaced and partially overlapped relation positioned transversely of said track and below said platform adjacent the front end thereof and each mounted for rotation about a vertical axis for excavating the railway ballast adjacent thereto, a pair of upstanding spreaders arranged in spaced converging relation positioned forwardly of and spaced from said endless diggers and dependingly supported from said platform, a horizontally disposed plate superimposed uponsaid endless diggers and dependingly supported from said plat- 10 form, a. pair of upstanding scraper blades arranged in converging spaced relation with respect to each other positioned rearwardly of and spaced from said endless diggers and connected to said plate, and driving mechanism on said platform and operatively connected to each of said axes for effecting rotation of said endless diggers.

HARRY C. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following ref erences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

